Natural Instinct Of The Beasts

Chapter 3

The New Case

...

Though the next morning, both Will and Hannibal got a call from Jack. It was a new case. One that looked like an animal attack but nothing was taken from the body.

Once they arrive they are greeted by the sight of sunlight glistening the frozen blood, warming its surface until a drop of blood beads and drips from the icicle. We are at a local rest stop. Will's gaze turns to the trucker's dead body. All bloodied and sprawled on his back across the cab roof, his head hanging over its edge, throat ripped open. Blood and innards emanate like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. Zeller and Price are atop platforms on either side, inspecting the truck cab roof and the body, respectively. Jimmy takes photos. Zeller inspects the near-empty torso.

Zeller was the first to speak, "No guts, no glory."

To that Price answered, "There're guts. They're over there."

Will sighs slightly before speaking, "It snowed all night. There are no tracks. You sure it was an animal?"

Zeller replies to Will's question, "Severance of the jugular and carotids, esophagus destroyed. The bite almost severed his head."

Price continues to explain, "Evisceration was performed by large, non-retractable claws, so we're looking at a wolf or a bear."

Jack grumbles slightly, "Whatever it was, it wasn't afraid of humans. Not anymore."

Will eyes the corpse-icle on the cab of the truck. "Wolves and bears don't eat where they kill. They would've dragged him off."

Hannibal stood beside Will and Jack, observing from his spot as they went about dissecting the crime scene physically and metaphorically. "Unless it went mad. A rabid animal
attacks its victims at random and eat any part of them."

Brian Zeller looks from the body to the organs spread around the body, "There was no eating here. We found just about everything... Viscera was exposed, belly was laid open, but no sign of gnawing or rutting."

Price then continues to explain the scene, "Found the same wound patterns on recent livestock mutilations in the area. Evisceration, dismemberment, yet everything accounted for."

Will nods before speaking, "Since when does the FBI get involved in animal attacks, Jack?"

"When somebody's holding the leash of whatever's doing the attacking, Will"

"The livestock mutilations... that was practice."

Jack sighs, "He's going to kill again and he's going to get better at it."

"He's urbanizing his animal -- moving closer to the city, adapting it to bigger prey."

Hannibal looked over the torn carcass, "He's not denying its natural instincts, he's evolving them." He minutely glanced at Will before returning his eyes at the scene before him.

"It's bloodsport..." Jack mutters to the two.

Will listens to Hannibal as he speaks, his gaze flicking from the bloodied carcass over to Hannibal for a brief moment.

"It seems that way, Jack"

Jack grumbles and the team starts to wrap up here. Packing up their stuff and the coroner's start to load the body. Will turns to Hannibal, "This is an interesting case." He spoke softly, this one had peaked his interest as it resembles the few and rare animagus attacks. Hannibal flashed a small smile at the other man before him. "How is interesting Will? Is it the way the mutilations are done?"

Now they are alone as they walk to the car. Will's ears return, just showing out from under his hat. Will nods slightly at Hannibal's words, "Yes the method of mutation, is very specific I haven't seen many like it"

Hannibal couldn't help but smile even more as he saw the tip of those fluffy ears peak out from under Will's hat. "In the cases that you have seen it from, what insights have you incurred from there?"

Will smiles a little, he was always glad to talk to Hannibal. "They are so rare and few, they normally progress into like normal animal killings or cease completely."

The wolf was very much pleased with Hannibal's reaction to his ears, he couldn't show his tail yet because of his clothing but he was itching to show the man his wolf side. They both made their way to the car as Hannibal nodded. "So this killer Will, how do you see him?"

"The killer sees himself as an animal more than a human, yet has no desire to eat the raw meat from the carcass. It is savagery yet there is something else to it."

It was a calling card, in a way only other animagus can sense that it is one of them. Hannibal had a prominent smile on his face, no need of Jack to analyse their every movement. "Will, do you know what an Animagus is?"

Will was relaxed and at ease and Hannibal's smile only made feel even more calm. "An animagus? Yes, I do Hannibal." Will treads carefully now with his words.

Hannibal was amused. "Do tell what you know of it."

"Well an animagus can vary from species variation. The one most commonly known is the one that only turns into one animal. But there are others can turn into a variety of animals as they age. It's an interesting creature, some have control over their animal form others don't and that's why most people are fearful of them, Hannibal"

"Most people... do not even believe in such a kind." Hannibal turned to Will this time, burying his hands inside his pockets to warm them. "This man killer may just believe that he is one, and may be letting his animal side reign instead of his rationality."

Will was always curious about Hannibal there was something that attracted Will to him. Will watches Hannibal and listens to each word that falls from your lips. "That is true... Yes, that is what I believe, Hannibal"

Hannibal nodded, "Then this man will continue to kill, until his animal side has fully taken over his being."

Will nods slightly, "Yes, exactly. Unless we stop him, Hannibal"

"And how shall we do that dear Will?"

"Have you ever encountered someone like this Hannibal? It's a very specific psychology"

Hannibal thought for a moment and nodded. "A Patient... one who believed he was an animal trapped in the flesh of a man."

"Is it a possibility it could be him?" Will asks curiously.

Hannibal dipped his head to the side, "We cannot be certain... Shall we continue this in my office?"

"Mm, I believe we should Hannibal," Will nods slightly and opens up the car.

Hannibal got into the driver's seat, immediately turning on the heater of his car. Will sighs softly and takes off his hat ruffling his curls briefly. He pulls on his seatbelt. Once he finished ruffling his hair his ears returned.Hannibal body wanted to reach over and touch those pair of fluffy ears. His immense self control told him to stop himself. He removed his own hat before they drive away from the scene.

Will relaxes into the chair as he looks at the scenery pass by. He looks to Hannibal now and again as they drive back to Hannibal's place.